A study of catalysts and mechanisms in synthesis reactions. Progress report, January 1994--December 1994

Surface-generated gas-phase radicals, which are the subject of this study, may function as important intermediates in several important partial and complete oxidation reactions. Two examples are the role of CH{sub 3} radicals in the oxidative coupling of CH{sub 4} and the role of OH radicals in the catalytic combustion of CH{sub 4}. Although the gas phase chemistry of simple hydrocarbon radicals is reasonably well understood, very little is known about the reactions that occur between these radicals and metal oxide surfaces. Moreover, the formation of hydroxyl radicals over oxides is a largely unexplored area of catalysis. Recent work in the laboratory has been devoted to the reactions of methyl radicals with reactive metal oxides, and the production of hydroxyl radicals under rate limiting conditions. This paper describes reactions of CH{sub 3} radicals with metal oxides; catalytic conversion of CH{sub 3} radicals to CH{sub 3}OH and HCHO; identification of surface-generated benzyl radicals; and formation of OH radicals under rate limiting conditions.